Thursday, March 08, 2012

Douglas Adams's 60th birthday marked with liff, the universe and Pink Floyd

Don't forget your towel for birthday party at Hammersmith Apollo celebrating the author of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

 - guardian.co.uk,
Douglas Adams, author of the Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy
Douglas Adams, author of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, at home in Santa Barbara, California, in June 2000. Photograph: Dan Callister/Getty Images
The late and much missed Douglas Adams threw some spectacular parties, triggering complaints about noise from sentient beings all over the Milky Way.
Now family, friends and fans of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy are marking what would have been his 60th birthday this Sunday with another bash, this time at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, which will celebrate the author's diverse talents and passionate interests via sketches, music, tributes and a rhino raffle.
Assuming the venue is not demolished by evil Vogons for a hyperspace bypass in the meantime, Terry Jones, Clive Anderson, Professor Brian Cox, zoologist Mark Carwardine, Stephen Fry (by videolink from New Zealand) and Stephen Mangan (Dirk Gently in the BBC4 series) will be among those discussing Adams's unique takes on the environment, comedy, music and, in the case of co-writer John Lloyd, the Meaning of Liff.
Save the Rhino will feature strongly; Adams was the charity's patron. Sketches dating back to 1974 will be fished out, and the "Partially Plugged" sessions of distinguished musicians who played at his parties will be recreated on stage.
As Adams's 42nd birthday present, David Gilmour invited him to play guitar with Pink Floyd at Earls Court. Subsequently Adams's younger half-brother, James Thrift, heard a rumour that a film existed of this one-off moment from rock history. "I found it a month ago," he rejoices. The clip will get its first public screening.
Full story at The Guardian

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